Very Sick Betta On Our Hands :/

[T'sMommy]

Hi everyone! So my mom and I were at PETCO on Sunday because I needed some supplies and their betta section was just breaking our hearts. Not only are they selling half dead baby bettas now (ugh) but they also had one dead fish and several who weren't looking too good. We thought one of the others was dead too but then I moved it's cup and saw he was alive! Now I know the argument, if you save one it just helps them buy more, I know...but we just could not leave him. He was laying on his side, and from what I've read I'm pretty certain he does not have dropsy. I think it's swim bladder disease he seems a little bloated but not a lot and the bloat could just be an optical illusion from the way he's floating. When we got him he was just on his side he would swim a bit when the water was disturbed but that's it. We fed him part of a pea last night and he was a very enthusiastic eater and even fought to get the sinking pieces off of the bottom even though he couldn't swim all the way down because of his issue. Now I'm back at school and instructing my mom from afar; she's a newbie but does everything I tell her to; loves animals and really wants him to make it. Any advice you can give would be great! We are waiting to see if the pea will work, if there's no improvement in a couple of days should we try an epsom salt bath?

 

[betta fish]

Hi, good for you for trying to save the little guy though he may be too far gone would need to see a pic for myself to try to help more but sounds like you are doing your best, could you let us know how you are keeping him at the mo, size of tank, water changes, heater, filter temp etc? continuing with the peas is a good thing if you suspect constipation, upping the water temp may also be good as it quickens their metabolism but that really depends on what temp you have him in now. I've bought bettas that were so miserable in their unheated, unfiltered dirty containers in shops before and once at home it's amazing how much they improve just from a little heat and fresh water, they actually swim rather than lie on the bottom

 

[T'sMommy]

We have him in a bowl (I know this is not the best environment but we already owned it and with as sick as he was mom didn't want to splurge on a whole setup). It's a one gallon bowl; we have gravel and a live plant in there and have been doing daily water changes. I was worried about the temperature; my betta's tank stays at 80ish degrees without a heater but they have air conditioning at home so we have been keeping him in the kitchen (warmest room) under a light fixture (but not so close that it could burn him) so I think the temperature is probably okay but unfortunately we don't have a thermometer this was kind of all done on a whim. He definitely has good water quality though. mom is very worried about him and changes all his water daily using a turkey baster so as not to frighten him. Obviously if he makes it we will be upgrading a lot. Anyway, he's pretty much the same today except he refused the offer of more pea (he last ate some sunday night). No visible excrement. What should we try next?

 

[betta fish]

Hi, I understand you are doing your best for the little guy and please don't take this the wrong way but you really need to upgrade the bowl to something a little bigger, 5 gallons is generally considered the smallest housing for a single betta, he needs stable heat provided by a heater and a thermometer to measure it, the fluctuations in temp caused by the lamp will not help him I guess it is turned off at night? they don't like bright lighting in any case a filter is not so important providing your mum can keep up with the water changes but in a one gallon bowl even daily changes will not keep up with the ammonia the fish is producing. I understand that you did not expect him to survive as he is so poorly but by not providing him with the proper care to try to make him better now will never save him

 

[OldMan47]

Minimum by who betta fish? I would bet that the vast majority of bettas kept in captivity are in containers smaller than 5 gallons. We often believe that what we like is a rule, but this is well known not to be the case with a betta.
I would favor something larger than a typical bowl simply because it would make proper care easier, not because it is a requirement.

 

[alstermania]

Hope I'm not too late to post, but I'm glad to hear you are trying to help a betta in need! Just because your betta is laying on his side, might not mean he has swim bladder. You can check out this site and identify these symptoms : http/www.bettatalk.com/betta_diseases.htm
As for Petco, take your business to some other place. The more you purchase items from Petco, the more you in-directly harm bettas and other animals under their care.
Good luck with your fish!!!

 

[Bettasforever!]

It's not the petco brand itself! It's the owner of that particular store, I love petco and my local petsmart in the one killing Betta fish, so don't single out the "petco" brand as being cruel!!!!! Tell your shop owner or manager, but it's not the petco brand, it's that petco store that you went to, petco feels better inside that petsmart with its horrible steel ceilings!

 

[alstermania]

Check peta and see petco and petsmarts cruelty. Check youtube too

 

[scarlet]

Check peta and see petco and petsmarts cruelty. Check youtube too

I apologize in advance if I happen to offend, it's not my motive... I know it may be easy to sit back and blame every mass pet store chain for what you may or may not think is cruelty to animals, but bashing only makes a person seem bias and ignorant. Let me just give you an example... When you go to a fast food place such as, let's say, McDonalds or even when ordering off Starbucks vegan menu, do you ever order a drink or a iced coffee of any sort? Well most people are unaware that the little plastic straw that comes with your beverage is held accountable for more injuries and deaths per year than all your Pet Co's and PetSmarts put together? Yep I assure you its correct. And although I for one would never condone mistreatment of any living creature including the ones we all love to hate, I believe accountability more than not, ends up belonging to the person who stands there pointing fingers instead of remembering it wont always be your perfect world, animals wont always be treated fairly just the same as the little boy who can hear his tummy grumbling because human beings have some how spent to much time blaming instead of trying to find better solutions without forcing people to hate, we have quite enough of that. I cant save every life, I can only infect my world with positivity thru my willingness to say if I am not willing to work hard for a solution I am most definitely one of the problems. I run a non for profit rescue and if it were not for most of the big chain pet stores such as pet co, most of my rescued would would have gone hungry, not to mention without donations raised to help the greater good, then that would mean my job is pointless and that the judgmental brainwashed successfully spend uneducated and biased information that may or not be the life of a truly innocent soul. If you wanna truly impress me and the people within this forum give up a day of your pay and give it back to all who need it. then maybe you can stand high up on that podium and say "I earned the right to be the one who brings truth. Until then I'll say Thank you PetSmart for saving the lives of hundreds of our helpless friends. And feeding hundreds of homeless animals who's only wish is to say thank you. Then I will respect your propaganda enough to weigh who is most evil, the one pointing fingers or the one saving lives. I've seen "their" proposal, but have yet to see anyone come with better. Not a dime for Peta, except a self addressed envelope begging for donations? you can't fool me with lies!

 

[FishGuest5123]

This an old post from 2012.